Is it healthy to raise 2 Sulcata's together?

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JensenEmpire

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I heard that it is good to raise 1 tortoise or 3 (or more) but not 2? Someone told me that raising 2 would cause stress and if you would raise 3 or more they would act "normal" and not have a dominate one.

I am asking because I might buy another one if I have to.
 

tiff3grl

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I have raised 2 siblings together for 5 years now and they get along great. I keep hearing I may have to separate them when they get older and start showing dominance though. As for now I have no plans of doing so until they show aggression. I'm hoping that doesn't happen.....they have a whole backyard and plenty of their own space. I'm no expert just figured I would share my story. Good luck with whatever you chose to do though.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi JensenEmpire:

I don't believe you've ever told us your name.

It always depends upon each individual tortoise. Once I took in a whole herd of sulcatas temporarily until the owner could fix her fences. There were (if I'm remembering correctly) 4 or 5 females and 2 or 3 males. I kept them in my backyard for a couple months and never saw any fighting. Not a large back yard...appx. 50' x maybe 60' or so.

Then one time I took in a couple of male desert tortoises that were from the same clutch and were kept together all their lives. The owner brought them to me because they wanted to kill each other. They were only about 5 or 6 years old. It was terrible to watch them go at it.

My Dudley has lived here at my house for about 15 years and most of that time alone. When I bring in a rescued male sulcata he gets quite nervous. He paces the fence between him and the new tortoise and rams it, climbs it, trying to get to the new tortoise to fight. I would not ever be able to put him with another tortoise unless it was female.

All we can say is go ahead and try it, be be prepared to have to build an additional pen because it might not work out.
 

JensenEmpire

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emysemys said:
Hi JensenEmpire:

I don't believe you've ever told us your name.

It always depends upon each individual tortoise. Once I took in a whole herd of sulcatas temporarily until the owner could fix her fences. There were (if I'm remembering correctly) 4 or 5 females and 2 or 3 males. I kept them in my backyard for a couple months and never saw any fighting. Not a large back yard...appx. 50' x maybe 60' or so.

Then one time I took in a couple of male desert tortoises that were from the same clutch and were kept together all their lives. The owner brought them to me because they wanted to kill each other. They were only about 5 or 6 years old. It was terrible to watch them go at it.

My Dudley has lived here at my house for about 15 years and most of that time alone. When I bring in a rescued male sulcata he gets quite nervous. He paces the fence between him and the new tortoise and rams it, climbs it, trying to get to the new tortoise to fight. I would not ever be able to put him with another tortoise unless it was female.

All we can say is go ahead and try it, be be prepared to have to build an additional pen because it might not work out.

Hello, My name is Duane Jensen. thanks for the reply it is very helpful. I think I am going to raise 3
 
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